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[See p. 129 

AND GRANDPA TOOK ALL THE CHILDREN HOME ON THE BIG LOAD OF HAY 





THE STORIES OF 
PETER AND ELLEN 


By 

GERTRUDE SMITH 

f I 

AUTHOR OF “THE ROGGIE AND REGGIE STORIES” 

“THE LOVABLE TALES OF JANEY AND JOSEY AND JOE” ETC. 


ILLUSTRATED 

BY 

E. MARS AND M. H. SQUIRE 



HARPER BROTHERS 

NEW YORK AND LONDON 


M C M I I I 


THE LIBRARY OF 
CONGRESS. 

Two Copies Received 

SEP 18 1903 


Copyright Entry 
Qiaj H . ItjoZ 
CLASS Oy XXc, No 

6> zq 3 

COPY B. 





Copyright, 1903, by Harper & Brothers. 


All rights reserved. 
Published September, 1903. 


TO 

MY PRECIOUS LITTLE 

ALDINE GARDNER 























CONTENTS 


PAGE 

The Birthday Surprise 3 

The Beautiful Dollie 14 

Magic Mud Pies 24 

Funny Uncle Carl 33 

In the Rose-Garden 43 

The Gypsy Story *55 

Little Robbers 64 

The Funny Icicle Story 74 

A Christmas Surprise 83 

The Rainy-Day Story 91 

The Funny Play 101 

Runaway Peter and Ellen no 

The Surprise- Party 120 

The Oak-Tree Playhouse 130 







ILLUSTRATIONS 


AND GRANDPA TOOK ALL THE CHILDREN HOME ON THE 

BIG LOAD OF HAY 

LA, CHILD, YOU DON’T SAY ! 

AND ALL THE MORNING PETER AND ELLEN SEWED ON 

THE PINK SILK DRESS 

AND PETER CUT THE LITTLE MUD PIE 

NOW GIVE ME MY BREAKFAST, MOLLY, DOLLY, AND DOT . 
AND PETER AND ELLEN LOOKED AND LOOKED . . . . 
AND ELLEN RAN AND PETER RAN AS FAST AS THEY COULD 
AND JUST THEN AUNT CLARIMOND OPENED THE PANTRY 

DOOR 

AND THERE, IN THEIR PLAYHOUSE, WHOM DO YOU THINK 

THEY FOUND ? 

WATCHING MAMMA AND PAPA AND DEAR SANTA CLAUS 

TRIMMING THE CHRISTMAS-TREE 

AND DONNY FED THE WHITE MICE CRACKERS . . . . 
JOCK RAN UP TO THE LITTLE DOG, AND PULLED HER 

LITTLE TAIL 

AND THOSE LITTLE CHERRY PIES WERE JUICY AND SWEET 

AND GOOD . . . 

AND PETER AND ELLEN BEGAN TO LOOK FOR THE SIX 

LITTLE CHILDREN 

AND THEY SAT DOWN IN THE WONDERFUL PLAYHOUSE 
WITH PETER AND ELLEN 


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1/ 


THE STORIES OF 
PETER AND ELLEN 

i 







THE BIRTHDAY SURPRISE 


P ETER was six years old and dear 
little Ellen was four years old. 

And one year Peter’s birthday 
came on Tuesday and Ellen’s birthday 
came on Thursday, but they had their 
birthday treat on the very same day. 

When they came down to breakfast 
one Wednesday morning their Mamma 
said, “ Oh, my dears, this is the day for 
your birthday treat. We will open your 
little, red banks right away, before 
breakfast, and see how much money you 
have.” 

All the year Papa and Mamma and 

3 


PETER AND ELLEN 


Grandpa and Grandma and all the uncles 
and aunties and friends dropped pennies 
and nickels and dimes and dollars into 
Peter’s bank and Ellen’s bank, and when 
their birthdays came the banks were 
opened and the money was counted. 

And Peter said, “ I know what I am 
going to buy. I am going to buy a little, 
white pony with my birthday money.” 

Papa laughed. 

“ Ha, ha, Peter! It takes a great deal 
of money to buy a pony!” 

And little Ellen clapped her hands and 
danced around the room, and said, “I 
know what I am going to buy with my 
birthday money. I am going to buy a 
pet, tame monkey, and a wonderful par- 
rot that talks.” 

And Mamma laughed. 

“Ellen, you darling child, do you not 

4 


THE BIRTHDAY SURPRISE 


know it would take a great deal of money 
to buy a pet, tame monkey and a parrot 
that talks ?” 

And Peter said, “Once, when Grandpa 
did not know I was in the room, I saw 
him put a five -dollar gold piece in my 
little, red bank.” 

Mamma ran out of the room, and when 
she came back she brought the two little, 
red banks and put them on the table, 
and said, “ Now Papa will open the 
banks, and we’ll all count the money.” 

And Grandpa came in just then, and he 
said, “Hurrah! Peter is six years old 
and Ellen is four, and we’ll all count 
the birthday money!” 

And Grandma came in just then, and 
she said, “Open the little banks quick, 
quick , and we’ll all count the birthday 
money!” 


5 


PETER AND ELLEN 


And Papa took a little key out of his 
pocket, and said, “ Now, Peter, open 
your brown eyes wide, and, Ellen, open 
your blue eyes wide, and be prepared 
for a splendid surprise !” 

And Papa turned the little key in one 
little bank, and then in the other, and 
oh, oh, oh ! out tumbled the money all 
over the table ! Dollars were there, and 
dimes and nickels and pennies, and, yes, 
there were gold pieces! Two bright, 
five-dollar gold pieces in each little bank ! 

And Peter opened his brown eyes wide 
— he was too surprised to speak. And 
Ellen opened her blue eyes wide — she 
was too surprised to speak. 

And Papa counted the money. Five, 
ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty -five, thirty! 
Thirty dollars for Peter! Hurrah! Hur- 
rah ! Five, ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty- 
6 


THE BIRTHDAY SURPRISE 


five! Twenty -five dollars for Ellen! 
Hurrah ! H urrah ! 

And little Ellen danced about the room, 
and laughed and clapped her hands, and 
said, “ Now I can buy my pet, tame mon- 
key and a wonderful parrot that talks !” 

And Peter jumped up and down, and 
said, “ And may I buy a little, white 
pony, Grandpa ? May I buy a pony ?” 

And Grandpa laughed, and said, “Ha, 
ha ! Yes, you can buy a pony, and a 
little, red saddle, too !” 

And Papa said, “We will go right 
away and buy your pony, Peter, the min- 
ute we have finished our breakfast.” 

And after breakfast Papa and Peter and 
Ellen all went hand in hand down the 
beautiful road to a little, white house near 
the river. 

And Papa said, “ The man who lives 

7 


PETER AND ELLEN 

here has a little, white pony to sell, 
Peter.” 

And in a moment a very tall man came 
to the door of the little, white house, and 
when he saw Peter and Ellen he laughed, 
and said, “ Ha, ha ! I know why you 
have come to see me. You have come 
to buy my Baby Louise !” 

And little Ellen opened her blue eyes 
very wide, and said, “No, sir; we didn’t 
come to buy a baby ; we came to buy 
a pony !” 

And the tall man laughed. 

“Ha, ha! My pony’s name is Baby 
Louise, you dear little boy!” 

And Ellen said, “ Why, I’m not a 
little boy; I’m a little girl, you very tall 
man !” 

And the tall man laughed, and said, 
“Oh, hi, ho! is that so? Well, you 

8 


THE BIRTHDAY SURPRISE 


are dressed just like your brother ; I sup- 
posed you were a little boy!” 

And Ellen said, “ Peter hasn’t lovely 
long curls like mine, and I only wear 
overalls when I play. Little girls wear 
overalls when they play!” 

And the tall man laughed, and said, 
“ Why, yes, so they do. Now come 
on and we’ll all go out to the barn and 
see the little, white pony.” 

And they all went out to a little, white 
barn, and there was a little, white pony! 
And Peter said, “ Oh, you dear little 
pony ! May I buy that pony, and have 
it to keep, Papa ?” 

And Papa said, “Yes; this is your 
birthday present, my dear little son, and 
she is a beauty, too !” 

And Ellen threw her arms around the 
little pony’s neck, and said, “ Oh, Baby 
9 


PETER AND ELLEN 


Louise, I will love you, too, and I’m 
glad you are coming to live with us and 
be our own little pony !” And Peter and 
Ellen rode home on the little, white pony, 
^and Papa walked beside them. 

And all the morning Peter and Ellen 
played with Baby Louise, and dear little 
Ellen was so happy she forgot all about 
her own birthday present! And when 
they were at the dinner- table Grandpa 
laughed, and said, “ Where is that mon- 
key that little Ellen was going to buy 
with her birthday money, and where is 
that wonderful parrot that talks?” 

And Ellen clapped her hands, and said, 
“ Oh, Grandpa, I was so happy with 
Baby Louise I forgot all about my mon- 
key and parrot !” 

And Papa said, “ Well, after dinner you 
may ride Baby Louise to town, and I will 
io 


THE BIRTHDAY SURPRISE 


ride on my big, black horse, and we’ll buy 
a monkey and a parrot for Ellen.” 

And right away after dinner Papa got 
on his big, black horse, and Peter and 
Ellen got on Baby Louise, and away they 
rode to town. 

Ellen did not wear her little overalls to 
town, but a beautiful, little, scarlet dress. 
No one thought that she was a little boy 
this time, but every one said, “ Oh, what 
a lovely little girl that is on that cunning 
little pony!” 

And when they came to the town they 
rode to an animal store and bought a 
pet, tame monkey, and then they went 
to a bird store and bought a beautiful 
parrot. 

And Ellen said, “ I’m just a little, wee 
bit afraid of my monkey, and I’m just a 
little, wee bit afraid of my parrot, too!” 

• 1 1 


PETER AND ELLEN 


And the parrot put his head on one 
side and looked at Ellen, and said, “ La, 
child, you don’t say!” 

Every one laughed, and Papa said, 
“Ha, ha! Oh, what a clever parrot!” 

And Peter carried the monkey and Papa 
carried the parrot, and Peter and Ellen 
rode on the little, white pony, and Papa 
rode on his big, black horse, and they 
started home. 

And Peter said, “You may call my 
pony part yours, little Ellen, because you 
love him so.” 

And Ellen said, “You may call my 
monkey and parrot part yours, little 
Peter, because they are so funny.” 

And Papa said, “ That is right. I am 
glad you are going to share your birth- 
day gifts, dear children.” 

And the parrot put his head on one 


12 



LA, CHILD, YOU DON’T SAY ! 













THE BIRTHDAY SURPRISE 


side, and said, “ That’s right, that’s 
right.” 

And oh, how Peter and Ellen laughed! 
And Papa laughed, “Ha, ha, ha! 
Oh, what a clever parrot !” 


THE BEAUTIFUL DOLLIE 


O NE day Peter said, “I wish I 
was a little girl.” 

And little Ellen laughed, and 
said, “ Why, Peter, I didn’t know that 
a little boy ever wished he was a little 

gM!” 

And Peter said, “You can laugh if 
you want to, but just to-day I wish I 
was a little girl.” 

And Ellen said, “ What would you do 
if you were a little girl?” 

And Peter said, “ I’d dress a beautiful 
doll — oh, a beautiful doll! — and take it 
to that poor little Lillie girl who lives 
in the woods.” 


THE BEAUTIFUL DOLLIE 


And Ellen said, “ Poor little Lillie 
never had a dollie in all her life!” 

And Peter said, “ If I was a little girl, 
and had ten dolls, I’d give her my 
beautifulest dollie.” 

And little Ellen opened her eyes very 
wide and looked at Peter, and then she 
shook her head very hard, and said, 
“I’m bad — I’m naughty and bad! I 
can’t — I just can't give Lillie my beau- 
tifulest dollie!” 

And Peter looked out of the window, 
and said, “Well, if I was a little girl, I’d 
make a pink silk dress for my very best 
doll, and give it to poor little Lillie.” 

And little Ellen began to cry. 

“What would I do without my dear, 
sweet, beautiful dollie?” 

And little Ellen made a naughty, 
naughty face at Peter, and screamed very 
*5 


PETER AND ELLEN 

loud, and said, “ I can’t — I won’t give 
my beautiful dollie away, little Peter!” 

And Peter looked out of the window, 
and said, “ I know a boy and his Grand- 
pa will give him five dollars. Five dol- 
lars will buy a new doll as big as a real 
live baby.” 

And little Ellen stopped crying and 
looked at Peter, and said, “ I wish I could 
have a doll as big as a real live baby!” 

And dear little Peter said, “ Grand- 
pa will give me five dollars and I’ll buy 
you a big, new dollie.” 

And little Ellen ran and threw her arms 
around Peter’s neck and hugged him tight, 
and said, “ I’ll give my beautifulest dollie 
to Lillie, I will. But who will make her 
a pink silk dress?” 

And Peter said, “ I will make her a 
pink silk dress myself!” 


THE BEAUTIFUL DOLLIE 


And, oh, how dear little Ellen laughed! 

“Boys don’t know how to sew! You 
couldn’t make her a pink silk dress, little 
Peter!” 

And Peter looked real funny, and said, 
“ Well, perhaps I can’t make a pink silk 
dress, but I know a little girl who looks 
exactly like me that can make one.” 

And Peter got up and ran out of the 
room. 

Little Ellen called, “ Peter, where are 
you going?” 

And Peter called, “ I am going to get 
the little girl that looks exactly like me!” 

And little Ellen sat still and wondered 
who little Peter could mean. Who was 
the little girl that looked exactly like 
Peter? 

And little Ellen took her beautiful dol- 
lie on her lap, and rocked her and kissed 
• *7 


PETER AND ELLEN 


her and hugged her, and said, “You are 
going away to live in the beautiful woods 
with poor little Lillie Brown.” 

And the dollie looked up into little 
Ellen’s eyes, and seemed to say, “ I love 
you ! I love you ! Oh, please do not give 
me away!” 

And little Ellen cried very hard, and 
kissed her beautiful dollie a great many 
times, and said, “ Peter is only a boy, 
and he does not know how very dearly 
we love each other!” 

And just then a little girl in a pretty 
blue dress came dancing into the room. 
And the little girl looked exactly like 
Peter! 

And Ellen said, “ Why, where did 
you come from, little girl? You look 
exactly like Peter!” 

And Peter laughed, and pointed his 
18 


THE BEAUTIFUL DOLLIE 


f 

finger, and said, “ Ha, ha, ha! You didn’t 
know your own little brother!” 

And little Ellen laughed through her 
tears, and said, “ Oh, Peter, for one little 
minute I didn’t know you were Peter!” 

And Peter ran out of the room, and 
when he came back he had the pink silk 
dxess all cut out and ready to sew! And 
Peter had two needles and two thimbles, 
and a spool of pink silk thread. And 
he gave little Ellen a needle and thimble, 
and said, “ Now you may help, and we’ll 
soon have a pink silk dress.” 

And Peter looked very fupny, dressed 
like a little girl, and Peter kept saying 
funny things to make little Ellen laugh. 
And little Ellen pretended that she was 
happy, but, oh, how her dear little heart 
did ache whenever she looked at her 
beautiful dollie! 


*9 


PETER AND ELLEN 


And all the morning Peter and Ellen 
sewed on the pink silk dress. 

And Mamma came in and laughed, and 
said, “ Why, see my two good little girls 
sewing doll’s clothes, together!” 

And Peter said, “ Yes, Ellen is going 
to give her beautiful doll to poor little 
Lillie Brown.” 

And little Ellen looked up at Mamma, 
with her sweet blue eyes, and said, “ Every 
one will say I’m a very, very good child 
to give my beautifulest doll away.” 

And Mamma took little Ellen in her 
arms, and kissed her a great many times, 
and said, “You shall not give your dollie 
away, my darling! You shall not give 
your dollie away!” 

And Peter said, “ Why, Mamma, I 
am going to buy Ellen a big new dollie, 
as big as a real live baby.” 


20 



AND ALL THE MORNING PETER AND ELLEN SEWED ON THE PINK SILK DRESS 






THE BEAUTIFUL DOLLIE 


And Mamma said, “Boys don’t under- 
stand about dollies. Which would you 
rather have, little Ellen, a big new doll, 
or your own dear dollie ?” 

And little Ellen said, “ Oh, I’d rather 
have my own, my own, than the biggest 
T w dollie that ever was born!” 

And Peter looked greatly surprised and 
disappointed, and said, “ I thought, of 
course, she’d rather have a big new doll 
than that old thing!” 

And little Ellen said, “ I love her, I 
love her, that’s why; and she’s my beau- 
tifulest dollie!” 

And Mamma said, again, “ Boys don’t 
understand about dollies, even boys who 
can sew as well as Peter. I will buy little 
Lillie a doll, myself, and you may take it 
to her this afternoon.” 

And little Ellen clapped her hands, and 


21 


PETER AND ELLEN 


said, “Oh, goody! Oh, goody! Oh, 
goody!” 

And Peter looked greatly disappointed, 
and said, “ Mamma, what shall I buy with 
my money? I wanted to buy little Ellen 
a dollie!” 

And Mamma said, “ Come here, you 
dear, little, generous Peter, and I’ll tell you 
a splendid secret.” 

And Peter ran to Mamma, and Mam- 
ma whispered something to Peter. 

And Peter clapped his hands, and 
danced about the room, and said, “ Don’t 
you wish you knew, little Ellen? Oh, 
don’t you wish you knew?” 

And, oh, but Peter did look funny, 
dressed like a little girl, dancing about 
the room ! Mamma laughed and laughed, 
he did look so funny 5 and little Ellen 
laughed and laughed, he did look so funny. 

22 


THE BEAUTIFUL DOLLIE 


And that afternoon Peter and Ellen 
and Mamma all went to see little Lillie, 
and they took her a big new dollie. 

And on Christmas Day little Ellen got 
a big, big new doll as big as a real live 
baby. Peter gave it to her, and she 
loved it dearly, dearly ; but never quite 
as well as the dear, beautiful dollie that 
she almost gave away. 


MAGIC MUD PIES 


4ND when the warm, bright, beauti- 
f — % ful spring days came, Ellen and 
^ Peter would run away down to 
the brook and make mud pies. 

And precious Mamma said, “Oh, El- 
len; oh, Peter, dear, I do not like to have 
you make mud pies. You do get your 
clothes and your little hands so very, 
very dirty!” 

And Grandma laughed, and said, “ Oh, 
gracious me! What if they do get their 
little hands dirty? I used to make mud 
pies when I was a little girl, and a grand, 
good time I had.” 


24 


MAGIC MUD PIES 


And Papa laughed, and said, “ I used 
to make mud pies when I was a little 
boy, with a sweet little girl, a pretty lit- 
tle girl I loved.” 

And Peter said, “Oh, Papa; why, Papa, 
did you make mud pies with Mamma when 
she was a little girl?” 

And Papa laughed, and said, “Yes, 
precious Mamma and I used to run away 
down to that very same brook and make 
mud pies when we were little.” 

And Ellen and Peter looked at Mamma 
and Papa, and wished they could have 
seen them, when they were little, playing 
together and making mud pies down by 
the brook. 

And Grandma said, “ If you will al- 
ways remember, children, to put on your 
little overalls when you go down by 
the brook to play, I’ll buy you some 


PETER AND ELLEN 


nice little patty -pans to bake your mud 
pies in.” 

And Peter promised and Ellen prom- 
ised always to wear their little overalls 
when they went down to the brook to 
make mud pies. 

And that very same day Grandma did 
buy a dozen little tin “ patty-pans,” each 
the shape of a heart, for Peter and Ellen 
to bake their mud pies in. And that very 
same day Peter and Ellen went down to 
the brook to make mud pies, and took 
the “ patty-pans ” with them. (And they 
took Polly Parrot and Jock with them, 
too, so they could watch the fun.) 

And Ellen made six elegant, rich mud 
pies and set them to bake in the sunshine. 

And Peter made six elegant, rich mud 
pies and set them to bake in the sunshine. 

And Polly sat upon a log and looked 
26 


MAGIC MUD PIES 


at those little mud pies standing in a nice 
little row in the sunshine, and she put her 
head on one side, and said, “ Oh, laws 
a-daisy! how fine!” (No one ever knew 
where Polly learned to say this.) 

And every other minute Jock, the 
wicked little monkey, would steal one of 
those little mud pies and run away — away 
down the path. 

And Peter would run after him, calling, 
“ Oh, you naughty little monkey, you 
must not steal our little mud pies!” 

And little Ellen would laugh and laugh 
because Jock looked so funny. 

And a very tall man came down the 
road on a very black horse, and he 
stopped and called, “Hello! You dear 
children, what a grand, good time you 
are having! I used to make mud pies. 


PETER AND ELLEN 


And the very tall, handsome man got 
off his horse and came down to the brook 
to watch Peter and Ellen make mud pies 
and set them to bake in the sunshine. 

And Polly said, “ Good-day, sir.” 

And the tall man sat down on the log 
by Polly and laughed, and said, “ Ha, ha, 
ha! Why, good-day, Miss Polly!” 

And after the man had watched Peter 
and Ellen making mud pies for some 
time, he smiled at Ellen, and said, “ Oh, 
did you ever hear of a magic mud pie, 
little girl?” 

And Ellen shook her head, and said, 
“No 5 what is a magic mud pie?” 

And the tall man laughed and picked 
up one of the little patty- pans, and said, 
“ I think this must be a magic mud pie ; 
it looks exactly like one.” 

And the tall man stood up and turned 
28 



AND PETER CUT THE LITTLE MUD PIE 










MAGIC MUD PIES 


around three times, and then he handed 
the little mud pie to Peter, and said, 
“Yes, this looks like a magic mud pie. 
Please cut it and we will see. If it is a 
magic mud pie you will find it seasoned 
with bright, new pennies instead of raisins.” 

And Peter took his little knife out of 
his pocket and cut the little mud pie. 

And, oh, Ellen opened her eyes with 
surprise. That pie was seasoned with two 
bright, new pennies! 

And, oh, how the tall man laughed. 
“ Ha, ha!” he laughed. “ Well, I thought 
that looked like a magic mud pie!” 

And little Ellen said, “ Who put the 
pennies in the pie?” 

And the man laughed, and said, “ I 
have heard that the fairies always season 
magic mud pies with pennies.” 

And Peter laughed, and said, “ I know 
29 


PETER AND ELLEN 


who the fairy was that put the pennies in 
our pie.” 

Peter was six years old and little Ellen 
was only four. 

And Ellen said, “ What was the fairy’s 
name?” 

And the tall man laugned, and said, 
“The fairy’s name is Uncle Jimmy, you 
precious child!” 

And then, oh, little Ellen did open her 
blue eyes wide, and Peter opened his eyes 
very wide, too. 

And Peter threw his arms around the 
neck of the very tall man, and said, “ Oh, 
oh, are you our uncle Jimmy?” 

And little Ellen threw her arms around 
his neck, too, and said, “ Oh, oh, our 
dear uncle Jimmy!” 

(Peter and Ellen never had seen Uncle 
Jimmy before.) 


3 ° 


MAGIC MUD PIES 


And Uncle Jimmy laughed and hugged 
them close, and said, “ Now, go on to 
your work, and bake me another magic 
mud pie.” 

And, oh, what fun Peter and Ellen had 
that morning! Every mud pie they set 
to bake in the sunshine the good fairy 
seasoned with bright, new pennies. 

And Mamma came running down the 
path, and when she saw Uncle Jimmy 
she cried with delight, and said, “ Oh, oh, 
my dear, big brother!” 

(Precious Mamma had not seen her 
dear, big brother before for years and 
years.) 

And often, very often, while Uncle 
Jimmy was visiting them, he would come 
down to the brook and sit on the log 
with Polly, and watch Peter and Ellen 
make mud pies. And always when he 
3 1 


PETER AND ELLEN 


was there a fairy would season the mud 
pies with pennies. 

And Peter knew who the fairy was, but 
little Ellen never could guess. 

Little Ellen believed there were really, 
truly fairies. She did not believe that 
Uncle Jimmy seasoned their little mud 
pies with pennies. 


FUNNY UNCLE CARL 

4ND one night, when Peter and Ellen 
/-% were sound asleep — Peter in his 
little bed in his little room, and 
Ellen in her little bed in her little room 
— the door-bell rang — ting-a-ling! ting- 
a-ling ! — down-stairs. 

Mamma and Papa were reading, and 
Mamma jumped up, and said, “ Oh, who 
can it be?” 

And Papa jumped up, and said, “ Oh, 
who can it be ringing that bell?” 

And Mamma and Papa went out into 
the hall and opened the door, and there 
was Uncle Carl Apthorp Fitch. 

3 33 


PETER AND ELLEN 


And Uncle Carl smiled all over his 
funny face, and said, “ Oh, don’t let 
Peter and Ellen know that I’ve come. I 
want to surprise the dears.” 

And Papa laughed, “Ha, ha! Oh, 
come right in, Uncle Carl Apthorp Fitch. 
Peter and Ellen are both sound asleep 
up-stairs in their little beds.” 

And Mamma threw her arms around 
Uncle Carl’s neck, and said, “ Oh, you 
blessed brother, you funny, big boy! How 
glad Peter and Ellen will be to see you!” 

And Uncle Carl Apthorp Fitch walked 
into the hall, and said, “ Well, here we all 
are. Ha! ha! ha!” (He laughed very 
loud.) 

And as he came into the hall his two 
big dogs came bounding in after him 
(Uncle Carl always brought his two big 
dogs when he came visiting), and the two 
34 


FUNNY UNCLE CARL 


big dogs were carrying a basket between 
them — a very large basket with two round 
holes in the top. 

And Mamma laughed, and said, “ Oh, 
you funny, big boy, Uncle Carl, what 
have you brought for Peter and Ellen in 
that basket?” 

And Uncle Carl laughed very loud, 
“Ha! ha! ha! Wait till you see! I 
brought a wonderful, startling surprise in 
that basket for Peter and Ellen,” and 
Uncle Carl laughed again, “Ha! ha! 
ha!” (He laughed very loud.) 

And little Ellen woke up, and sat up 
in bed, and called, “ Peter! Oh, Peter, 
I hear some one laughing down-stairs.” 

And Peter woke up, and sat up in bed 
and listened. “ I wonder who it is?” he 
said. “ Let us get up and run down and 
see who it is, little Ellen.” 

35 


PETER AND ELLEN 


And Ellen jumped out of bed, and 
said, “Yes, let us run down-stairs on tip- 
toe and see who it is.” 

And Peter jumped out of bed, and they 
both went out into the hall and down the 
stairs on tiptoe together. 

And Uncle Carl laughed very loud, and 
said to Mamma, “ Peter and Ellen will be 
surprised in the morning when they find 
me here.” 

And Papa said, “Sh! don’t speak so 
loud, Uncle Carl, don’t laugh so loud, or 
you will wake up Peter and Ellen.” 

And Peter and Ellen came down the 
stairs on tiptoe and peeked into the room, 
and there they saw their dear, funny, big 
uncle Carl Apthorp Fitch. (They had 
not seen him before for a year.) 

And Peter said, “Oh, oh, oh! it is 
Uncle Carl!” 


36 


FUNNY UNCLE CARL 


And little Ellen screamed for joy, and 
said, “Oh, goody, goody gander! It is 
my uncle Carl Apthorp Fitch!” 

And Uncle Carl caught Peter and Ellen 
both in his arms, and hugged them and 
kissed them, and said, “ Well, I thought 
if I laughed very loud I would wake 
you two up. Ha! ha! ha! I laughed 
like that, very loud, on purpose to wake 
you up.” 

And Mamma said, “ Oh, you naughty, 
big boy, to wake those children at this 
time of night.” (It was half-past ten by 
the clock.) 

And Uncle Carl sat down and took 
Peter on one knee and Ellen on the other, 
and said, “ Why, goodness me, I couldn’t 
wait till morning to see these blessed 
children; now what do you think I’ve 
brought you in that basket? Put your 
37 


PETER AND ELLEN 


ear to the hole in the top, and guess 
what is in that basket.” 

And Peter and Ellen ran to the basket, 
and Peter put his ear to one little round 
hole in the top, and Ellen put her ear to 
another little round hole in the top, and 
listened. 

And Peter said, “ I guess it is a squir- 
rel.” 

And Uncle Carl said, “No 5 guess 

again.” 

And Ellen said, “ I guess it is a rab- 
bit.” 

And Uncle Carl said, “No; guess 

again.” 

And Peter said, “ I guess guinea-pigs.” 

And Uncle Carl said, “No; guess 

again.” 

And Ellen said, “ I guess it is a little 
white mouse.” 


38 


FUNNY UNCLE CARL 


And Uncle Carl said, “No; and now 
run away to your little beds; I am not 
going to tell you what is in that basket 
until morning.” 

And Peter said, “ Oh, please tell us to- 
night, Uncle Carl!” 

And Ellen said, “ Oh, please tell us to- 
night, dear Uncle Carl Apthorp Fitch!” 

And Uncle Carl said, “No, I’ll not tell 
you to-night, but come into the garden to- 
morrow morning early, and you shall have 
a startling, wonderful surprise.” 

And Peter and Ellen kissed their funny 
uncle Carl Apthorp Fitch good-night, and 
both ran away to bed. And in the morn- 
ing — oh, very early — Peter and Ellen woke 
up and dressed and ran down-stairs and 
into the garden. 

And in the garden — oh, very early — 
Peter and Ellen found their funny, big 
39 


PETER AND ELLEN 


uncle Carl, and there in the garden, too, 
they found the surprise basket. 

And Uncle Carl said, “Now open 
your eyes very wide, children, and you’ll 
see what comes out of the basket. 

And Peter and Ellen opened their eyes 
very wide, and out flew three dear little 
birds. One little bird had bright- red 
feathers, and one little bird had bright- 
green feathers, and one little bird was 
blue and white. 

And Uncle Carl said, “ These are 
trained birds, dear children ; they will do 
whatever I tell them to do. Come, Molly; 
come, Dolly; come, Dot” (these were the 
little birds’ names), and Uncle Carl held 
up his hand. His fingers were wide apart, 
and the little birds flew out of the basket 
and lit on his fingers. And Uncle Carl 
said, “Now give me my breakfast, Molly, 
4 ° 



NOW GIVE ME MY BREAKFAST, MOLLY, DOLLY, AND DOT 






FUNNY UNCLE CARL 


Dolly, and Dot.” And these little birds 
flew into Uncle Carl’s pockets, and out 
they came in a minute, each with a crumb 
of bread. And these little birds fed Uncle 
Carl his breakfast right from their little bills. 

And Ellen danced around and clapped 
her hands, and said, “Oh, Uncle Carl 
Apthorp Fitch, how cunning they are!” 

And Peter said, “ What else can they 
do. Uncle Carl?” 

And Uncle Carl said, “Watch, and you 
shall see. Come, Molly and Dolly, it is 
time for little Dot to take a ride.” 

And Uncle Carl took a wee, wee little 
wagon out of the basket and put it down 
on the garden-path, and Dot flew into the 
wagon, and, oh ! what do you think ? 
Molly and Dolly pulled the little wagon 
by two little ribbons held fast in their little 
bills ! 

4 1 


PETER AND ELLEN 


And little Ellen clapped her hands and 
laughed, and said, “ Oh, Uncle Carl Ap- 
thorp Fitch, you are the most wonderful 
man that ever lived, to teach these birds 
to do that ! ” 

And Uncle Carl laughed, “Ha! ha! 
ha ! Yes, I am a wonderful fellow.” 

And Peter said, “ What else can they 
do, Uncle Carl?” 

And Uncle Carl said, “ Oh, these won- 
derful birds know a dozen tricks, or more.” 

And Uncle Carl Apthorp Fitch showed 
Peter and Ellen all the tricks these little 
birds could do; but if I told you all about 
them, my dear little reader, this story 
would be too long. 


IN THE ROSE-GARDEN 



,HERE was a beautiful rose-garden 


back of the house where Peter and 


Ellen lived. There were yellow 
roses and red roses and white roses and 
pink roses, and, oh, every kind of rose 
that you can think of, in that wonderful 
garden. 

And as long as they were in bloom Peter 
and Ellen never wanted to go out of the 
garden to play. 

And every morning Peter and Ellen 
would lead the little, white pony down 
through the garden to see the beautiful 
roses. 


43 


PETER AND ELLEN 


“You must not touch one — not one — 
Baby Louise,” Peter would say. “ Roses 
were made for little ponies to smell and 
look at and love, but not to nibble or 
eat.” 

And the little, white pony would hold 
up her head and sniff the air, and look at 
the roses with her bright eyes, as though 
she would say, “ I am far too wise a pony 
to wish to nibble or eat your beautiful roses, 
dear Peter.” 

And every day Ellen would lead her 
pet tame monkey down through the rose- 
garden, and she would say, “Now, Jock, 
you may look at the lovely roses, but you 
must not touch one — not one.” 

But, oh, Jock was a rogue ! Little 
Ellen soon learned that Jock was a rogue. 
He would snatch off a big, scarlet rose, and 
pull himself free, and run up a tree and 
44 


IN THE ROSE-GARDEN 


chatter and laugh, as though he would say, 
“ Roses may not be made for good little 
ponies to nibble or eat, but, see, see ! they 
were made for wicked little monkeys like 
me!” 

And Ellen would cry, “Come down 
from that tree, you naughty Jock, and give 
me that beautiful rose !” 

And Peter said, “I’ll tell you what we 
will do, little Ellen. We will train Jock 
to ride through the garden on the little, 
white pony’s back, and every time he rides 
through the garden and does not jump off 
or. touch one rose, we’ll give him a lump 
of sugar.” 

And just then the parrot came tripping 
down the garden -walk, and she put her 
head on one side and laughed, and said, 
“ He’ll do it. Break his head.” 

And, oh, how Peter laughed! 

45 


PETER AND ELLEN 


“Why, Polly Parrot, who taught you 
to say such naughty words?” he asked. 

And Polly laughed exactly like Peter, 
and said, “ Oh, don’t ask me !” 

And Ellen said, “ I believe Polly under- 
stands everything we say! Come, Jock! 
Come down from the tree and you shall 
have a ride on Baby Louise, and we’ll give 
you a lump of sugar.” 

And Polly called, in a coaxing tone, 
“ Come, Jock ! Come, boy !” 

And after a very long time Jock came 
down from the tree, and Peter put him on 
the little, white pony’s back, and started 
down the garden -path, between the rose- 
bushes. 

And Polly put her head on one side, 
and said, “ Look out for your hat !” 

And little Ellen laughed and pointed 
her finger at Polly, and said, “ There, 
46 


IN THE ROSE-GARDEN 


Miss Polly, you made a mistake; Jock 
doesn’t wear a hat !” 

And, oh, Polly was very cross, because 
little Ellen pointed her finger at her and 
laughed. She fluttered her wings and ruf- 
fled her feathers, and said, “ Go away ! I 
won’t play !” 

And, oh, how Peter laughed ! And, 
oh, how Ellen laughed ! And Peter said, 
“You mustn’t be cross, Polly; little Ellen 
is your very best friend.” 

And Polly laughed, “Ha, ha! Go it! 
Go it!” 

And they looked, and where was Jock? 

Not on the pony’s back, but up the 
tree, with a big, yellow rose in his paws ! 

And little Ellen sat down in the garden- 
walk, and laughed and laughed — Jock did 
look so funny and naughty and dear. And 
Polly fluttered her wings and laughed ex- 
47 


PETER AND ELLEN 


actly like little Ellen. “Ha, ha! he, he ! 
Oh, dear me !” she said. 

But Peter didn’t laugh. He said, “I’m 
going to whip Jock, for he must learn to 
ride through the garden and not pick a 
rose.” 

And Ellen began to cry. “You shall 
not whip my little, pet monkey!” she 
said. 

And Polly pretended to cry. “Oh, dear 
me! Oh, dear me !” said Polly. 

And Peter said, “ Papa would whip him 
hard if he knew he picked the roses. I’ll 
only whip him a very little and make him 
mind.” 

And after a long, long time Jock came 
down from the tree, and Peter took a little 
stick and whipped him a very little bit, and 
then put him on the pony’s back, and said, 
“ Now be a good boy and ride through the 
48 


IN THE ROSE-GARDEN 


garden, and I’ll give you a big lump of 
sugar.” 

And Jock was a very good boy. He 
earned a big lump of sugar, and never 
touched a rose in the garden again, when 
they let him ride on the pony’s back. 

And little Ellen said, “ Now we will 
tie the pony and Jock to the fence and 
we will play hide-and-seek in the gar- 
den.” 

And Peter shut his eyes tight and stood 
by the tree, and little Ellen ran and hid 
behind the big rose-bush covered with 
scarlet roses. 

“Coop! coop!” she called. “Hide- 
and-coop!” 

And Peter ran here and ran there until 
he found her behind the big rose-bush. 

And Polly called, “ Coop! coop!” 

And little Ellen said, “ Oh, Polly is 

4 49 


PETER AND ELLEN 


playing hide-and-seek, too ! She has hid 
and we must find her!” 

And Peter and Ellen looked and looked, 
and at last they found Polly behind the 
big, yellow rose-bush, way down at the 
foot of the garden. 

And the little, white pony and Jock 
watched Peter and Ellen and Polly play- 
ing hide-and-seek, and wondered why they 
could not play, too. 

And Mamma came down the garden- 
path dressed in a lovely white muslin dress, 
and she said, “Oh, children, I have a 
beautiful plan. It will not be long until 
all the roses go away for this year; but 
before they go we will gather all kinds 
and make a beautiful garland for Baby 
Louise; and Papa will bring out his 
camera and take a picture of her in the 
rose-garden.” 


5 ° 



AND PETER AND ELLEN LOOKED AND LOOKED 








IN THE ROSE-GARDEN 


And little Ellen said, “Oh, what fun, 
Mamma! Let us do it right now, 
Mamma!” 

And they picked a great many roses 
and made a beautiful garland for Baby 
Louise, and put it around her pretty, 
white neck. 

And Polly stood in the garden-walk and 
looked at Baby Louise, and said, “ Oh, 
me ! how fine !” 

And Mamma laughed, and said, “Pret- 
ty Polly must have her picture taken, 
too.” 

And little Ellen said, “Yes, and Jock 
must have his picture taken, too.” 

And Papa came out into the rose-garden 
with his big camera, and he took a picture 
of Baby Louise with the beautiful garland 
of roses around her pretty, white neck. 
And he took a picture of pretty Polly 
5 1 


PETER AND ELLEN 


standing on little Ellen’s shoulder. And 
he took a picture of Jock nibbling a lump 
of sugar. 

And Mamma said, “ Oh, Ellen, my 
dear, before the roses go away this year 
you must pick a nice, big bouquet and 
take it to the dear little girl who lives on 
the other side of the road.” 

And Ellen said, “ I’ll pick a beautiful 
bouquet right now, Mamma.” 

And Jock could not understand why 
little Ellen should pick the roses. He 
chattered and scolded, and picked up 
a little stick and began to whip little 
Ellen. 

And Peter laughed, and said, “ Oh, 
Jock is whipping you, Ellen, because you 
are picking the roses ! ” 

And Ellen said, “Mamma told us we 
could pick the roses to-day, Jock, but she 
5 * 


IN THE ROSE-GARDEN 


never said so before ; that is why Peter 
whipped you.” 

And she gave Jock a rose in his little 
hands. “You may go with me and take 
these roses to the nice little girl who lives 
across the road.” 

And little Ellen, with a big bouquet of 
roses, leading her pet tame monkey, went 
out of the garden gate. 

And Polly fluttered her wings and ruf- 
fled her feathers, and said, “Poor old 
Polly ! Poor old Polly ! ” 

And little Ellen laughed, and said, “Oh, 
I forgot you, Polly ! Come, you may 
come, too.” 

And Polly trotted away down the gar- 
den-walk, and went with Ellen and Jock 
to take the bouquet of roses to the nice 
little girl who lived across the street. 

And the little, white pony threw up her 
S3 


PETER AND ELLEN 


head and neighed, which meant, “I want 
to go, too.” 

And Peter laughed, and said, “No, 
Baby Louise, you can’t go. You must 
stay at home with your little master.” 


THE GYPSY STORY 


4ND one very rainy morning Mam- 
ma said, “ Peter and Ellen, you 
may put on your rubber boots 
and your rubber coats and your rubber 
hats and go wherever you please in the 
rain.” 

And little Ellen danced about the room 
and clapped her hands, and said, “ Oh, 
, goody, goody!” 

And Mamma laughed, and said, “When 
I was a little girl I used to love to go out 
in a warm rain like this and watch the 
flowers grow.” 

And Peter said, “May we play run- 


PETER AND ELLEN 


away, and go just anywhere we please, 
Mamma ?” 

And Mamma said, “Yes 5 only do not 
go too far, and do not get lost, dear chil- 
dren.” 

And Peter jumped up and down and 
clapped his hands, and said, “Oh, I know 
— I know where we will go, little El- 
len !” 

And Peter and Ellen put on their rub- 
ber boots and their rubber coats and their 
rubber hats and went out into the warm 
summer rain. 

And Peter looked very wise, and said, 
“You follow me, little Ellen, and see 
where we will go.” 

And little Ellen let the warm rain fall in 
her face, and said, “ Mamma said we could 
run away. I want to run away.” 

And Peter said, “Yes, we will run away 

5 6 


THE GYPSY STORY 


— we will run away to the woods and play 
gypsies ! ” 

And little Ellen let the warm rain fall 
on her hands, and said, “ The truly gyp- 
sies might come and catch us if we run 
away to the woods!” 

And Peter looked very wise, and said, 
“There are no such things as fairies, and 
there are no such things as gypsies, only 
in story-books.” 

And little Ellen tossed her curls, and 
said, “ If a truly gypsy ran after me 
I’d run and run, and he couldn’t catch 
me.” 

And Peter and Ellen ran away down 
the road in the rain, till they came to the 
big, big woods. 

And Peter said, “Oh, Ellen, see; all 
the flowers are bathing in the rain ! ” 

And Ellen said, “Yes; the flowers 

57 


PETER AND ELLEN 


stay out in the rain in their sweet little 
dresses.” 

And Peter said, “ Oh, let us pick our 
arms full of flowers and take them home 
to Mother!” 

And little Ellen sai^ “All right, as 
soon as we’ve played gypsy. 

And little Ellen stooped down and whis- 
pered to the violets, “Don’t tell the gyp- 
sies we’ve come to the woods, for we are 
turrible afraid of gypsies.” 

And Peter clapped his hands, and said, 
“Oh, there are the gypsies! Here come 
the gypsies! Hide, quick, behind a tree, 
little Ellen!” 

And little Ellen ran very fast and hid 
behind a tree. 

And little Ellen peeped out from behind 
her tree, and said, “Why, I don’t see a 
gypsy, Peter!” 

,/ S 8 














THE GYPSY STORY 


And Peter laughed, and said, “We are 
just pretending , and playing gypsies, you 
little goosie !” 

And Ellen laughed, and said, “Oh, 
what fun ! Let us play it again ! I see a 
gypsy! Run, run, run, little Peter!” 

And Peter said, “ Oh, Ellen, look ! 
look ! the gypsies are truly coming ! Run, 
run, run as fast as you can!” 

And little Ellen looked behind her and 
saw a funny old man and a funny old 
woman running through the woods. 

And the little old man laughed, “ Ha! 
ha ! ha !” And he called, “ The gypsies 
are coming! The gypsies are coming! 
Run, run, run for your lives, little white 
heads !” 

And Ellen ran and Peter ran as fast as 
they could. But all at once the little 
old man caught Peter in his arms and 
59 


PETER AND ELLEN 


the little old woman caught little Ellen 
in her arms. 

And Ellen screamed, “Oh, let me go; 
let me go to my Mamma!” 

And Peter screamed, “ Let me go, or 
I’ll tell my Papa, you wicked old gypsy 
man !” 

And the little old man laughed, and 
said, “Why, I thought you were playing 
gypsies ?” 

And little Ellen cried, and said, “ We 
didn’t know there were any truly gypsies 
in the woods !” 

And the old woman laughed and kissed 
little Ellen, and said, “ The gypsies al- 
ways catch naughty boys and girls when 
they run away in the rain.” 

And little Ellen said, “ Our Mother 
said we could run away if we wouldn’t 
get lost.” 


60 


THE GYPSY STORY 


And the old woman laughed, and said, 
“ Why, what a remarkable mother !” 

And the old man said, “ But you are 
lost, you dear little children; you ran and 
ran and ran through the woods, and now 
you are lost.” 

And Peter looked around, and said, 
“ Oh, Ellen, I believe we are lost. What 
shall we do ?” 

And the old woman said, “I’ll take 
you home, little children ; I’m a very good 
gypsy; I’ll take you home.” 

And the little old man laughed, and 
said, “Yes, we are very good gypsies; 
we’ll take you home ; but first come to 
our little log-house and have some supper.” 

And Peter looked up quick, and said, 
“ Truly gypsies don’t live in a house; truly 
gypsies always live in a tent.” 

And the funny old man laughed, and 
61 


PETER AND ELLEN 


said, “ Who said we were truly gypsies ? 
We were just out in the rain playing gyp- 
sies, my little old sister and I.” 

And Peter said, “ I think you were 
real wicked and naughty to frighten poor 
little Ellen and me.” 

And the little old woman kissed Ellen, 
and said, “ I did not think you would be 
afraid of a nice old woman like me.” 

And the little old man laughed, and 
said, “ No, I didn’t think you would be 
afraid of a nice old boy like me.” 

And the little old man and woman 
took Peter and Ellen to their log- house 
in the woods, and they had fried chicken 
and cream gravy and biscuits for supper. 

And after supper the little old man 
gave Peter a pet tame crow, and the little 
old woman gave Ellen two little bantam 
chickens. And when it was almost dark 

62 


THE GYPSY STORY 

the little old man took Peter and Ellen 
home through the woods in the rain. 

And Mamma came to the door to 
meet them, and said, “ Where have you 
been so long, you naughty children ?” 

And Peter said, “ We ran away to the 
woods to play, and the gypsies caught us 
— we thought they were truly gypsies.” 

And the old man smiled, and said, “ It 
was only this funny little old man and 
his little old sister playing like children 


once more. 


LITTLE ROBBERS 


O NE morning Mary Amanda, the 
cook, came into the dining-room, 
and she looked very cross, and 
said, “ Now, Peter and Ellen, listen to me. 
You must not go to the cooky-jar and 
take all the cookies I bake ! I never go 
to that jar but I find it empty.” 

And Polly Parrot sat on the back of a 
chair, and she put her head on one side, 
and said, “Tut, tut, tut! what a cross 
old thing!” 

And Peter laughed, and Ellen laughed, 
but Mamma said, “ Why, Peter and Ellen, 
dears, do you go to the cooky-jar and 
take Mary Amanda’s cookies ?” 

6 4 


LITTLE ROBBERS 


And little Ellen said, “ I thought they 
were our cookies to eat. I didn’t know 
they were Mary Amanda’s.” 

And Peter said, “ Grandma always lets 
us go to her cooky-jar when we go over 
to her house to play.” 

And Mary Amanda looked real cross, 
and shook her finger, and said, “ Cookies 
were made to eat when you come to the 
dinner-table, not out in the yard.” 

And Polly Parrot put her head on one 
side, and said, “Go away, Mary Amanda!” 

And Peter and Ellen laughed, and Mary 
Amanda went back into the kitchen. 

And Mamma said, “ Mary Amanda is 
very angry. You must always ask me 
when you want a cooky, children.” 

And Peter and Ellen went out into the 
garden and walked about and looked at 
the flowers, and Peter said, “ I suppose 
s 65 


PETER AND ELLEN 


we were wicked robbers, little Ellen, to 
take Mary Amanda’s cookies.” 

And little Ellen felt real naughty. She 
tossed her curls, and said, “ I like to be 
wicked robbers and take Mary Amanda’s 
cookies.” 

And Peter said, “ I like to p.lay being 
a robber, but Mary Amanda is so cross 
I’ll not take her cookies.” 

And just then they heard a “ click, 
click,” and the front gate opened, and Ln 
came sweet Aunt Clarimond. She was 
the youngest, sweetest, dearest Auntie 
you ever saw. 

And sweet Aunt Clarimond said, “ Oh, 
good - morning, Peter and Ellen. Good- 
morning.” 

And Peter and Ellen said, “ Oh, good- 
morning, sweet Aunt Clarimond.” 

And Aunt Clarimond said, “ I hope 

66 


LITTLE ROBBERS 


you are happy this morning. You both 
look a little sad.” 

And Ellen said, “ Mary Amanda says 
we must not go to the cooky -jar ever 
again, and take one cooky.” 

And Peter said, “ Mary Amanda says 
cookies are to eat at the table, and not 
when you play in the garden.” 

And sweet Aunt Clarimond laughed, 
and said, “You can come over to my 
house, whenever you please, and take 
cookies out of my cooky -jar. Cookies 
were made to eat.” 

And Ellen hugged sweet Aunt Clari- 
mond, and said, “ Oh, what fun that "will 
be! You can make better cookies than 
Mary Amanda.” 

And Peter said, “ May we play we are 
robbers and take cookies out of your 
cooky -jar?” 


67 


PETER AND ELLEN 


And Aunt Clarimond said, “ Yes, we’ll 
have a grand time together. Ellen and 
you may play robbers, and come into my 
pantry and take my cookies — but only one 
each time you come” 

And little Ellen danced up and down, 
and said, “ Oh, what fun that will be, 
Aunt Clarimond.” 

And Aunt Clarimond said, “ I will 
come into the pantry and catch you, and 
put you in prison — the prison will be my 
arms.” 

And Peter said, “ When may we come, 
Aunt Clarimond?” 

And Aunt Clarimond said, “You may 
come this afternoon ; and now I must go 
home and bake cookies, for my cooky- jar 
is empty.” 

And that afternoon Peter and Ellen put 
on their hats and went down the road to 
68 


LITTLE ROBBERS 


Aunt Clarimond’s house. (Ellen took 
her little tame monkey under her arm.) 

And Peter said, “ Now we will play we 
are robbers, and we must go real still, so 
no one will hear us.” 

And little Ellen said, “Yes, we must go 
real still, because we are wicked robbers.” 

And Peter and Ellen went on tiptoe 
around Aunt Clarimond’s house, and crept 
into her pantry window. 

And little Ellen said, “ Oh, here is the 
cooky-jar ! Isn’t it a big, big cooky-jar, 
Peter?” 

And Peter said, “ We must remember 
we promised Aunt Clarimond only to take 
one cooky each time we eame.” 

And Ellen said, “Yes; I can take 
only one cooky, but my little monkey 
can take one, too. He is a wicked lit- 
tle robber.” 


69 


PETER AND ELLEN 


And Peter stood on tiptoe and looked 
into the cooky-jar, and little Ellen stood 
on tiptoe and looked into the cooky-jar, 
and, oh, what do you think — that jar was 
filled with thimble cookies! Each little 
cooky was just the size of the circle of 
sweet Aunt Clarimond’s thimble ! 

And Ellen said, “ Oh, oh, what dear, 
little, cunning cookies!” 

But Peter looked cross, and said, 
“ Aunt Clarimond has played a joke on 
us! One of these tiny cookies will only 
make one bite!” 

And the little monkey jumped on the 
edge of the cooky-jar and stole two little 
cookies. 

And little Ellen laughed, and said, 
“ Aunt Clarimond didn’t tell this wicked 
little robber how many cookies he could 
steal.” 


70 



AND JUST THEN AUNT CLARIMOND OPENED THE PANTRY DOOR 










LITTLE ROBBERS 


And just then Aunt Clarimond opened 
the pantry door and came in, and caught 
Peter in her arms, and said, “ Oh, here 
are those little robbers in my pantry tak- 
ing my baby cookies!” 

And little Ellen said, “ There are three 
little robbers here, Aunt Clarimond.” 

And Peter said, “ These cookies are so 
little they only last a minute !” 

And Aunt Clarimond said, “ Come, 
you three wicked little robbers, I have 
some handcuffs to put on your naughty 
hands, because you took my cookies.” 

And Aunt Clarimond led Peter and 
Ellen out into her kitchen, and there, on 
a plate, were three very large cookies — 
three very large cookies — and each had a 
hole in the middle. 

And Aunt Clarimond slipped one big 
cooky over little Ellen’s hand, and one 
7i 


PETER AND ELLEN 


big cooky over Peter’s hand, and the 
other over the wicked little monkey’s neck. 

And Aunt Clarimond said, “There, you 
three naughty robbers, you have handcuffs 
on because you took my thimble cookies.” 

And the little monkey ran and jumped 
up on sweet Aunt Clarimond’s shoulder, 
and began to nibble the big cooky on his 
neck. 

And little Ellen laughed, and said, 
“ Oh, what splendid big cookies these 
are !” 

And Peter said, “ I would like to have 
my pockets full of those little thimble 
cookies.” 

And Aunt Clarimond said, “ When a 
little girl named Ellen and a little boy 
named Peter come to see me some day, 
and ring my front -door bell, I will fill 
their pockets with little thimble cookies.” 
7 2 


LITTLE ROBBERS 


And little Ellen clapped her hands, and 
said, “ Oh, goody ! I love little thimble 
cookies. They melt in my mouth in a 
minute.” 

And Peter said, “ We’ll come over to- 
morrow, Aunt Clarimond, and ring your 
front- door bell.” 

And then Peter and Ellen went home. 
The little monkey rode on Peter’s shoul- 
der, and part of the big sugar cooky was 
still on his neck. 


THE FUNNY ICICLE STORY 



NE day in winter, the cold, cold 


winter, little Peter and Ellen stood 


by the window looking out at the 
icicles that hung from their playhouse roof 
out in the garden. 

And little Ellen clapped her hands, and 
said, “Oh, look at the ice-e- tickles out 
on our playhouse roof!” 

And Peter opened his little mouth very 
wide and laughed very loud. “ Ha ! ha ! 
ha ! Oh, little Ellen, you said ic e-e-tickles 
for ice-e - kickles ! ” 

And little Ellen opened her sweet lit- 
tle mouth and laughed, and said, “ Oh, 


74 


THE FUNNY ICICLE STORY 


wasn’t I funny ! I said ice-e-tickles for 
ic e-e-kickles/” 

And Mamma looked up from her sew- 
ing and opened her sweet mouth and 
laughed, and said, “ Oh, you dear little 
goosies — icicles, icicles, icicles! Now, 
do pronounce it right, then put on your 
little red coats and your little red caps 
and go out and play.” 

And Peter smiled and tried very 
hard, and said, “ Ice-e-kickles, ice-e- 
kickles ! There, didn’t I say it right. 
Mamma ?” 

And little Ellen said, “ Ic e-e-tickles, 
ic e-e-tickles! There, didn’t I say it right, 
Mamma ?” 

And Mamma laughed and laughed, and 
said, “ No, no, no ! Oh, you dear little 
goosies, when will you ever pronounce 
that word correctly!” 

75 


PETER AND ELLEN 


And out in the other room Peter and 
Ellen heard a great big laugh. 

“Ha! ha! ha! Ice-e - tickles ! ice-e- 
kickles ! I like to hear the darlings say 
it. Ha ! ha ! ha ! 

Dear Papa was out in the other room 
just then. 

And Peter put on his little red coat 
and his little red cap and his warm red 
mittens, and Ellen put on her little red 
cap and little red coat and warm red mit- 
tens, and they went out into the beautiful 
winter world to play 

And little Ellen tossed her curls, and 
said, “ I’m cross at that old word ice-e- 
tickles because I can’t say it. I am 
going to knock every one off our play- 
house because I can’t say that funny, 
long word.” 

And Peter put his arm around little 

76 



AND THERE, IN THEIR PLAYHOUSE, WHOM DO YOU THINK THEY FOUND 




THE FUNNY ICICLE STORY 


Ellen quickly, and said, “ Oh, please don’t 
knock off the ice-e-kickles, little Ellen, 
they look like a beautiful silver fringe on 
our playhouse.” 

And little Ellen looked at the beautiful 
icicles, and said, “ Do they look like a 
beautiful silver fringe, little Peter?” 

And Peter said, “Yes, I love them; 
I love everything in the beautiful winter 
world. I wish those ice-e-kickles would 
stay on our dear little playhouse forever.” 

The dear little playhouse, in summer, 
was covered with roses, but now, in the 
beautiful winter, it was covered with snow. 
And all the edge of the playhouse was 
hung with a fringe of icicles, icicles, 
icicles ! 

And Peter and Ellen went out to their 
dear little playhouse, and there, in their 
playhouse, whom do you think they found? 
77 


PETER AND ELLEN 


Why a funny little man with a funny 
false- face, wrapped in a buffalo robe. 

And little Ellen was afraid of the little 
man. She opened her eyes very wide, 
and said, “ Oh, Peter, see the funny little 
man with a funny false-face in our play- 
house ! ” 

But Peter was not afraid. He walked 
right up to the funny little man with 
the funny false - face, and said, “ Who 
are you, funny little man, and why are 
you here in our playhouse?” 

And the funny little man gave a funny 
little grunt, and said, “ I am old Jack 
Frost, and I have been busy all night 
hanging ice-e-kickles and ice-e-tickles on 
the roof of your playhouse. I was tired, 
so I came in to rest.” 

And little Ellen laughed and laughed, 
and said, “Oh, Jack Frost, you say that 

78 


THE FUNNY ICICLE STORY 


word wrong. You can’t talk plain, Jack 
Frost.” 

And Peter pointed his finger at the 
funny little man with the funny false- 
face, and said, “Ha! ha! You can’t 
talk plain. You can’t talk plain.” 

And little old Jack Frost stood up and 
shook his fist at Peter and Ellen, and said, 
“ I can talk plain. The little boys and 
girls where I live all say ice-e-kickles 
and ice-e-tickles ! Who makes the ice-e- 
kickles, I’d like to know? Who hangs 
them on your playhouse roof?” 

And little Ellen whispered to Peter, 
“Jack Frost is awful cross; let’s run, let’s 
run ! ” 

But little Peter was not afraid — oh, no. 
He walked right up to Jack Frost, and 
said, “I’m not afraid of you. You are 
only a make-believe.” 

79 


PETER AND ELLEN 


And Jack Frost shook his fist right in 
little Peter’s face, and said, “If I am 
only a make - believe, who makes your 
wonderful ice - e - kickles ? Who makes 
your wonderful ice- e- tickles and hangs 
them on your playhouse roof?” 

And little Peter was not afraid — oh, no. 
He shook his little fist, and said, “ God 
made every beautiful ice-e-kickle that ever 
was. You are only a make-believe Jack 
Frost. You’re only a make-believe.” 

And little Ellen stood by the door and 
shook her little fist, and said, “You’re only 
a make-believe Jack Frost. God made 
every beautiful ice-e-tickle that ever was.” 

And the little funny man with the 
funny false-face dropped down in a chair, 
and pretended to cry. “ I’m only a make- 
believe, they say ! I’m only a make- 
believe ! ” 


80 


THE FUNNY ICICLE STORY 


And Peter said, “Take off your funny 
false-face, you bad little man !” 

And little Ellen said, “Take off your 
funny false-face !” 

And the little man took off his funny 
false-face, and there sat — who do you 
think it was ? 

Why, Peter and Ellen’s funny, dear 
Papa. 

And little Ellen screamed, “ Papa ! 
Papa! I never guessed it was you!” 

And little Peter said, “ Why, Papa, 
Papa, I never guessed it was you!” 

And little Ellen said, “You are not a 
make-believe. You are the dearest, fun- 
niest Papa that ever lived.” 

And Papa said, “ Well, let us go and 
look at the beautiful, long icicles — icicles 
— that hang from your playhouse roof.” 

And they all went out to look at the 
6 81 


PETER AND ELLEN 


beautiful, long icicles, but oh, oh, oh ! they 
were gone , every one gone!” 

And Papa looked up at the big, round 
sun, and said, “ Old Sun, you are very 
warm this morning, and you have stolen 
the ice-e-kickles, ice-e-tickles, every one!” 

And Peter looked up at the big, round 
sun, and his eyes were full of tears. “ I 
love them so, I didn’t want them to go — 
I love them so ! ” he said. 

But funny little Ellen tossed her curls 
and looked real naughty, and said, “ Pm 
just glad you stole them away, big, glo- 
rious Sun, because every one laughs when 
I try to say ici-cles!” 

And Papa laughed and clapped his 
hands, and said, “ Ellen, little Ellen, you 
said the word right — icicles, icicles, icicles!” 


A CHRISTMAS SURPRISE 



HEN Christmas-eve came Mam- 


ma and Papa planned a grand 
surprise for little Peter and El- 


len. Instead of a Christmas-tree in the 
house, as children usually have, they 
planned to have a Christmas-tree in the 
barn, so that dear little Baby Louise could 
see it. Peter and Ellen loved their little 
white pony so dearly they were never 
quite happy unless she was with them, so 
darling Papa and Mamma decided that 
they would have the Christmas-tree in the 
barn this year and the little white pony 
could see it. But, oh ! you ask, wasn’t 


83 


PETER AND ELLEN 


it too cold in the bam to enjoy a Christ- 
mas-tree? Yes, it would have been too 
cold, but darling Papa had a very large 
stove put up in the barn, and built a 
splendid big fire in the stove, so it was 
warm and cosey. 

All day long before the night of the 
Christmas-tree Peter and Ellen kept won- 
dering where Mamma and Papa could be. 
For Papa had said, “You must be very 
good children all day and not go out in 
the yard, and be sure not to go to the 
barn. Then we will give you a grand 
surprise this evening.” 

Mamma and Papa were out in the barn 
all day working with Santa Claus, trim- 
ming the beautiful Christmas-tree. 

Santa Claus dear had written a letter 
to Mamma to say, “ I have so many pres- 
ents this year for Peter and Ellen, and 
84 



WATCHING MAMMA AND PAPA AND DEAR SANTA CLAUS TRIMMING THE 

CHRISTMAS-TREE 






A CHRISTMAS SURPRISE 

presents for that naughty monkey, Jock, 
and that funny parrot, and the little white 
pony, that you certainly must help me 
trim the Christmas-tree in the barn.” 

But Peter did not know that Santa 
Claus dear had written this letter to 
Mamma, and little Ellen did not know 
that Santa Claus had written the letter, 
so they never dreamed that all the day 
before Christmas-eve Santa Claus was out 
in the barn, snug and warm, with Papa 
and Mamma. 

But Baby Louise, the little white pony, 
knew. All day long she stood in her little 
stall and looked out with her beautiful, big, 
dark eyes, watching Mamma and Papa and 
dear Santa Claus trimming the Christmas- 
tree, and loading the green branches with 
presents for Peter and Ellen and the 
naughty monkey and the funny parrot. 

85 


PETER AND ELLEN 

Mamma laughed, and said, “ Oh, Baby 
Louise, if you could only talk you would 
tell Peter and Ellen what a splendid time 
you have had to - day, wouldn’t you, 
dear ?” 

And the little white pony tossed up her 
head and whinnied loudly, which meant, 
“Yes, if I could talk I certainly would 
tell.” 

Santa Claus laughed when he heard the 
little white pony whinny, and said, “Now, 
just hear the pony talk!” And he held 
up a string of silver sleigh-bells, and said, 
“ Here is a string of silver sleigh-bells, a 
very nice present for a little white pony 
about your size. 

And the little white pony tossed up her 
head and whinnied loudly, which meant, 
“ I guess that string of little silver sleigh- 
bells is for me.” 


86 


A CHRISTMAS SURPRISE 


And Santa Claus said, “ Over there in 
the corner of the barn is a beautiful little 
blue sleigh, and a nice little pony I know 
will take a nice little boy and girl I know 
out riding on Christmas Day over the 
beautiful snow.” 

And Baby Louise tossed up her head 
and whinnied again, which meant, “ Oh, 
I know all about that little blue sleigh.” 

Santa Claus laughed, “Ha! ha! ha! 
What a very wise pony you are ! ” 

But when it was dark and little candles 
were lighted, Baby Louise did open her 
eyes with surprise. She never had seen 
a Christmas-tree before. 

“ What will happen next ? ” she thought, 
and just at that moment the barn door 
opened, and in ran Peter and Ellen and 
the naughty monkey and the funny parrot. 
And oh ! how Peter and Ellen laughed 
87 


PETER AND ELLEN 


and clapped their hands when they saw 
the Christmas-tree in the barn and the 
funny Santa Claus ! 

And little Ellen said, “ Oh, we know 
Santa Claus trimmed our Christmas-tree 
out here in the barn so that Baby Louise 
could see it!” 

And the parrot put her head on one 
side and looked at the Christmas-tree, 
and said, “Oh, la, me, how fine!” 

“Ha! ha! ha!” cried Santa Claus. 
“Hear that parrot talk!” 

Then the naughty monkey ran up and 
sat on Santa Claus’s shoulder and scold- 
ed, and pulled Santa Claus’s ear. 

Santa Claus laughed. “Ha! ha! ha! 
Stop pulling my ear, you rogue, and I’ll 
give you a present ! ” And Santa Claus 
walked up to the tree and took off a 
little red cap and put it on the monkey’s 
88 


A CHRISTMAS SURPRISE 


head, and said, “ Here is a present for 
you, young monkey.” 

And the parrot laughed, and cried, 
“Don’t we look great!” 

Santa Claus gave Ellen a splendid big 
doll, and he gave Peter a splendid pair 
of skates and a knife. 

Then he gave Polly a big red apple 
and a sugar cooky with a hole in the 
middle. 

But when Peter and Ellen saw the little 
blue sleigh in the corner, how they did 
laugh and clap their hands. 

“ That is a present for Baby Louise,” 
said Santa; “but I expect that she will be 
a good little pony and share it with you.” 

Peter said, “ Oh yes, she will take us 
out riding to-morrow over the beautiful 
snow !” 

There were many, many presents be- 

89 


PETER AND ELLEN 


sides on the Christmas-tree — too many 
to name. 

And Papa said, “ Well, children, isn’t 
this the very best Christmas you ever 
had ?” 

And little Ellen said, “Yes, darling 
Papa, it is the very best Christmas we 
ever had.” 

Peter said, “ Baby Louise thinks it is 
the very best Christmas she ever had, 
too.” 

Polly put her head on one side, and 
cried, “Oh, I am so happy! I am so 
happy!” 

And on Christmas morning Baby Louise, 
with her silver sleigh-bells on her neck, 
took Peter and Ellen out riding in the lit- 
tle blue sleigh over the beautiful snow. 


THE RAINY- DAY STORY 

ALWAYS on a rainy day there was 
A-% one thing little Peter and Ellen 
did love to do — they did love to 
put on their little rubber boots and rub- 
ber coats and rubber caps, and take their 
little umbrellas, and go out into the shin- 
ing rain and down the road to the little 
red house where Donny lived. Donny 
was a big little boy. He was nine years 
old, and he could think of more things 
to do on a rainy day than any one you 
ever knew. Donny boy had a splendid, 
mother. She always helped Donny think 
of things to do on a rainy day. 

9i 


PETER AND ELLEN 


And one day it was raining, oh, very 
hard. Out of the sky the bright drops 
were chasing one another so fast you could 
hardly see the trees in the garden when 
you stood by the window. 

And Mamma said, “It is raining too 
hard for you to go to Donny’s house 
to-day, I’m afraid.” 

And little Ellen said, “ Oh, Mamma, 
we like to go out when it rains very 
hard !” 

And Peter said, “We like to hear the 
beautiful rain come patter - patter on our 
little umbrellas.” 

And Mamma said, “ All right, you may 
go. I know the beautiful rain will not 
harm you.” 

And Peter and Ellen put on their little 
rubber boots and rubber coats and caps, 
and each took a little umbrella and went 


92 


THE RAINY-DAY STORY 


out into the shining rain and down the 
road to Donny’s house. 

And Ellen waded in all the little brooks 
beside the road and splashed the water, 
and laughed and said, “ I love a rainy 
day ! I love to go down to Donny’s 
house to play !” 

And Peter waded in the brooks and 
splashed the water, and laughed and said, 
“ I’m a duck — quack ! quack ! quack !” 

And little Ellen said, “ Oh yes, we are 
ducks — quack ! quack ! quack !” 

And Peter and Ellen went on down 
the beautiful road, in the shining rain, 
to Donny’s house. 

And Donny opened the door, and said, 
“ Hello, Peter and Ellen ! I was just 
looking out of the window for you.” 

And Peter and Ellen went into Don- 
ny’s little red house. And little Ellen 
93 


PETER AND ELLEN 


said, “ What are we going to play this 
rainy day, Donny ?” 

And Donny laughed, and said, “ Well, 
first, little Ellen, we are going to make 
six little loaves of bread.” 

And Peter looked cross, and said, “ Oh, 
Donny, boys don’t want to make bread !” 

And Donny said, “We are going to 
make six little, tiny loaves of bread and 
then feed my little white mice.” 

And Peter said, “ Oh, Donny, have you 
some little white mice ?” 

And Donny said, “Yes, I have six lit- 
tle white mice, and we must bake bread 
to feed them.” 

And they went out into the kitchen, 
and when Ellen saw the tiny, little bak- 
ing-tins she clapped her hands, and said, 
“ Oh, I like to make bread ! What cun- 
ning little loaves these will be !” 

94 


THE RAINY-DAY STORY 

And there on the bread-board were five 
small pieces of dough. 

And Peter looked very cross, and 
said, “ Boys don’t like to make bread, 
Donny!” 

And Donny smiled sweetly, and said, 
“ Little Ellen likes to make bread, and 
we like to help her, and then we will feed 
the white mice.” 

But when Peter began to knead the 
soft dough into nice little loaves and put 
them into the little baking-tins, he thought 
it was fun, too, and said, “I do like to 
make bread, if I am a boy.” 

And Donny’s splendid mamma came 
into the kitchen, and said, “ I am glad 
to see you, Peter and Ellen, and what 
fine little loaves of bread you have made 
to-day.” 

And Ellen said, “ We are going to 

95 


PETER AND ELLEN 


bake the bread and feed Donny’s little 
white mice.” 

And Donny’s mamma said, “ Oh, I 
would feed the little mice crackers and 
eat the nice little loaves of bread you 
have yourselves !” 

And Ellen said, “ Oh, goody ! goody ! 
I’d like to eat the two little loaves I’ve 
made, with butter.” 

And Donny’s Mamma sat down to 
watch the nice little loaves of bread while 
they baked. 

And Donny got some crackers, and 
they all went out into the shed, and there 
was a big wire cage, and six cunning lit- 
tle white mice running about. 

And Peter said, “ Oh, isn’t it fun to 
watch them chasing one another about 
the cage ?” 

And little Ellen said, “ Oh, see ! see ! 

96 



AND DONNY FED THE WHITE MICE CRACKERS 






THE RAINY-DAY STORY 

There is a little white mouse swinging 
alone in that swing !” 

And Donny fed the white mice crack- 
ers, and said, “ Almost all animals can 
learn to play tricks, I guess.” 

And Donny’s mother came to the 
door, and said, “ Come, children, and eat 
your little loaves of bread, and then we 
will make candy canes” 

And they all went into the kitchen 
again, and Ellen ate the two tiny, little 
loaves of bread that she made, with butter. 
And Peter and Donny each ate the two 
little loaves they made, with butter. 

And then Donny’s splendid mother 
showed them how to make candy canes 
on a rainy day. She boiled the molasses 
on the stove, and she made three long 
candy canes — one for Ellen and one for 
Peter and one for Donny. 

7 97 


PETER AND ELLEN 


And when the candy canes were done 
Donny’s mother said, “Now I will tell 
you a beautiful rainy-day story.” 

And Peter and Ellen and Donny sat 
down by the window and sucked their 
candy canes, and Donny’s Mamma began 
to tell the rainy-day story. 

“ Once upon a time,” she said, “ there 
was a little caterpillar who lived on a big, 
sunny leaf in the garden. And this little 
caterpillar used to look up and see the 
beautiful butterflies flying about over his 
leaf in the sunshine, and he thought, ‘ Oh, 
dear ! I wish I were a butterfly, a beauti- 
ful butterfly, and could fly about and see 
all the dear flowers in the garden ! Pm 
so tired of being a caterpillar, and lying 
here on this leaf all day !’ 

“ And one day the little caterpillar 
woke in the morning and found himself 
98 


THE RAINY-DAY STORY 


in a very dark little house, so dark that 
he could not see one ray of light. And 
the little caterpillar thought, ‘ Oh, dear ! 
I’m sorry that I complained ! I would 
far rather lie on my leaf and look up at 
the sun, and the butterflies flying about, 
than be shut up in this dark place !’ 

“ And then the dear little caterpillar 
fell asleep, and slept and slept a long, 
long time. And then, one morning, he 
woke, and, oh, what do you think ? He 
found two little wings on his body. And 
the caterpillar spread his wings, and flew 
up, up, up, and out into the garden. 
And the caterpillar laughed, ‘ Ha ! ha! I 
have my wish ! I have my wings ! I’m 
not a caterpillar! I’m a beautiful butterfly 
now, and I can fly all around the garden!”’ 

And Donny’s mother said, “ That is 
all of the story, Peter and Ellen.” 

/..etc., 99 


PETER AND ELLEN 


And Peter said, “ It is a beautiful story. 
And now we must go home, little Ellen.” 

And they put on their little rubber 
boots and rubber coats and caps, and 
took their umbrellas, and went home 
through the rain. 

Do you wonder that Peter and Ellen 
loved to go down to Donny’s little red 
house when it rained? 


THE FUNNY PLAY 

P ETER and Ellen had a dear, kind 
Papa. He was just like a nice big 
boy. He often played with them, 
and often planned new plays and games 
for them. 

One day he taught them a game that 
they could play with Jock, the little mon- 
key, and Polly Parrot, in the garden. 

And, oh, it was such a funny game, 
they played it over and over every day 
for a long, long time. 

Papa would tie a handkerchief over the 
funny little monkey’s eyes, and then he 
would dig six little holes in the ground, 

IOI 


PETER AND ELLEN 


and in each little hole he would put a 
tiny red apple, and cover it over with dirt. 
And then Papa would pull the handker- 
chief off of Jock’s eyes, and say, “ Hide 
and seek, Jock ; find the apples, you 
clever fellow.” 

And when the little monkey would walk 
very near a hole where a little red apple 
was hid, Polly Parrot would put her head 
on one side, and scream, “ Bite your toes 
off! Bite your toes off!” 

And, oh, how Peter and Ellen would 
laugh whenever the little monkey found 
an apple ! And you would have laughed, 
too, if you could have seen him. That 
little monkey would scratch in the ground 
until he found an apple, and then he 
would take off his little red cap and make 
an elegant bow. (Papa had taught him 
this funny trick to surprise little Peter and 
102 


THE FUNNY PLAY 


Ellen.) And every time the little mon- 
key would take off his little red cap and 
make a bow, Polly Parrot would laugh, 
and say, “ Ha, ha! he, he! Oh, dear me!” 

And when Jock had found all the six 
little apples, Peter would say, “Now I 
will tie the handkerchief over your eyes, 
and hide the apples, and you must find 
them again.” 

But no, oh no; the little monkey would 
not find the apples for Peter ! 

Peter would coax him, and Ellen would 
coax him, but he would not look for those 
apples. 

And then Papa would say, “ Polly, dear, 
you coax Jock to look for the little red 
apples.” 

And Polly would walk up to the little 
monkey, and put her head on one side, 
and say, “ Sweetheart, please !” 

103 


PETER AND ELLEN 


And, oh, how Peter and Ellen laughed ! 

They knew that darling Papa had 
taught Polly to say this to Jock. 

And the very minute that Polly said, 
“Sweetheart, please!” Jock would scam- 
per around lively, and look for the little 
red apples. 

And Papa said, “ Oh, my dears, I saw 
a little dog in town to-day, that I know 
you would love dearly.” 

And Peter said, “ Oh, Papa, will you 
buy the dear little dog for us ? ” 

And Papa laughed, and said, “ I am 
afraid Miss Polly Parrot and Jock will be 
jealous of the little dog, he can play so 
many tricks.” 

And little Ellen said, “Oh no 5 Polly 
will love the little dog; won’t you, Polly?” 

And Polly said, “Yes, sir-ee!” 

And Papa laughed, and said, “ Well, 
104 


THE FUNNY PLAY 


if Polly will be good and kind we will 
buy the little dog.” 

And after dinner Peter and Ellen went 
to town with Papa to buy the little dog. 

And Polly sat in her nice big cage in 
a sunny window, and Jock sat on the 
window-sill, and they waited for Peter and 
Ellen to come home. 

Polly and Jock were very good friends, 
but loved Peter and Ellen so dearly they 
were always a little lonely when they were 
away from home. 

And Polly looked down at the little 
monkey sitting on the window - sill, and 
she put her head on one side, and said, 
“ Cheer up ! Cheer up!” 

And the little monkey looked out of 
the window, and then up at Polly, and 
made an excited little noise. 

And Polly said, “Oh, keep still!” 


PETER AND ELLEN 


But the little monkey danced up and 
down on the window-sill, and chattered 
and scolded in the most excited way. 

And then the door opened, and in 
walked Papa and Peter and Ellen, and 
the dearest little dog you ever saw ! 

And, oh, when Polly Parrot saw that 
little dog, she ruffled up her feathers, and 
screamed, “Go away! Go away!” 

Little Ellen laughed, but Peter said, 
“ Naughty Polly, you must love this 
cunning little dog.” 

And the little monkey jumped down 
from the window-sill, and ran up to the 
little dog, and pulled her little tail. 

And little Ellen laughed, but Peter said, 
“ Oh, you naughty monkey, to pull the 
little dog’s tail!” 

The dear little dog did not care. 

She looked at Polly and then at Jock 
106 



JOCK RAN UP TO THE LITTLE DOG, AND PULLED HER LITTLE TAIL 





THE FUNNY PLAY 


with her bright little eyes, as though she 
would say, “ Oh, I know how to make 
them love me.” 

And then that little dog began to dance 
up and down the room on her little hind 
legs. 

And, oh, how Polly laughed ! She 
danced up and down on the perch in 
her cage, and said, “ Bless my buttons ! 
Bless my buttons ! ” 

And the little monkey jumped down 
from the window-sill, and began to dance, 
too. 

And little Ellen clapped her hands, and 
said, “Now they all love one another! 
Now Polly and Jock and the little dog 
are all good friends!” 

And Papa said, “ We will name the 
little dog Happy, because she has such a 
happy little face.” 

107 


PETER AND ELLEN 

And Peter said, “ Come, we will go 
into the garden, and let Happy see Jock 
find the apples.” 

And they all went into the garden, and 
Papa hid the apples again, and the little 
monkey found them. 

And when Happy had seen the little 
monkey find the apples, she began to 
bark very loud, which meant, “ Oh, hide 
the apples again, and let me find them !” 

And Papa hid the apples again, and 
that little dog found every one. 

And, oh, it did make Jock cross to 
think that little dog knew all his tricks ! 
He chased Happy all around the garden, 
and pulled her little tail. 

And Papa said, “ Happy will have to 
live in the barn with Baby Louise. Jock 
will not be kind to her.” 

And Peter and Ellen took Happy out 
108 


THE FUNNY PLAY 


to the barn, and Peter said to the little 
white pony, “ Baby Louise, we have 
brought you a new friend, dear.” 

And when Ellen held Happy up, Baby 
Louise stuck out her tongue and licked 
the little white pony’s face — that was the 
way she kissed him ! 

So the little dog lived in the barn with 
Baby Louise, and they learned to love 
each other dearly. 


RUNAWAY PETER AND 
ELLEN 


4 ND one morning Papa hitched Baby 
f Louise, the little white pony, to 

^ the little cart, and Peter was driv- 

ing up and down, up and down alone 
in the road before the house. The little 
white pony was so very gentle, and Peter 
was such a brave little boy, that Papa 
sometimes did let him drive a very short 
distance down the road. 

And little Ellen came out into the road, 
and called, “I want to ride, too, Peter!” 

And Peter stopped the little white pony, 
and Ellen got into the little cart. 

no 


RUNAWAY PETER AND ELLEN 


And Ellen said, “ Oh, Peter, let us go 
to Wyville, all alone, and see what we 
can see !” 

And Peter said, “ Oh, Papa never will 
let us drive Baby Louise all alone to 
Wyville!” 

And little Ellen tossed her curls, and 
looked real naughty, and said, “ Let us 
run away, quick, and not ask Papa and 
Mamma.” 

And Peter looked real naughty, and 
said, “ I dare run away, if you dare run 
away, little Ellen.” 

And little Ellen tossed her curls, and 
said, “I dare run away to Wyville!” 

And Peter took the whip and whipped 
Baby Louise, and away they went down 
the road in the little cart. 

And Mamma came out into the road, 
and called, “ Peter and Ellen, come home! 


1 1 1 


PETER AND ELLEN 


Where are you going ? Come home at 
once, Peter and Ellen ! ” 

And little Ellen called back, “ We are 
running away, dear, precious Mamma; 
we can't come back ! We are running 
away !” 

And Peter said, “ Oh, I guess we’d 
better go back, little Ellen.” 

And little Ellen tossed her curls, and 
looked real naughty, and said, “ I want 
to run away; I don’t want to go back !” 

And Peter said, “ I dare run away, if 
you dare run away, little Ellen !” 

And little Ellen tossed her curls and 
laughed, and said, “ I dare run away, I 
dare run away to Pieville, Wyville !” 

And Peter said, “ What makes you 
call the town Wyville, Pieville, little 
Ellen?” 

And Ellen said, “ Because we can buy 


I 12 


RUNAWAY PETER AND ELLEN 


little, tiny cherry pies in Wyville, and so 
I call it Wyville, Pieville!” 

And Peter laughed, and whipped the 
little white pony, and said, “ Here we go 
to Wyville, Pieville, to buy little cherry 
pies !” 

And little Ellen said, “ How many little 
cherry pies are you going to buy, Peter?” 

And Peter said, “ I have ten cents, and 
I’m going to buy two little cherry pies.” 

And Ellen said, “ I have five cents, so 
I can only buy one little cherry pie.” 

And Peter said, “ Oh, little Ellen, we 
are very naughty to run away to Wyville !” 

And little Ellen tossed her curls, and 
said, “ I don’t care ; I like to be naughty 
sometimes !” 

And Peter laughed, and said, “ Yes, 
sometimes I like to be just awful naughty, 
don’t you?” 


1 *3 


PETER AND ELLEN 


And then all at once little Ellen be- 
gan to cry. “ I’m afraid my Mamma 
will feel bad because I am so naughty,” 
she said. 

And Peter said, “ I guess we’d better 
go home.” 

And Ellen said, “ No, no ! I want to 
go to Wyville, Pieville, and buy little 
cherry pies, but I don’t want my Mamma 
to feel bad because I’m so naughty.” 

And Peter said, “ Oh, Ellen, I see 
Wyville just down the hill ! We are 
almost there ! ” 

And little Ellen looked down the hill, 
and there was the little town of Wyville. 

And Ellen clapped her hands, and said, 
“ Oh, we are almost there, and won’t the 
little, tiny cherry pies taste good?” 

And Peter said, “ I wouldn’t go back 
now for a dollar — would you, little Ellen?” 
TI 4 



AND THOSE LITTLE CHERRY PIES WERE JUICY AND SWEET AND GOOD 










RUNAWAY PETER AND ELLEN 


And Ellen said, “ No, I wouldn’t go 
back for a dollar, now.” 

And Peter whipped the little white 
pony, and away they went down the hill, 
very fast, and in just a few minutes they 
were in the little town, and before the 
little store where the little cherry pies 
were for sale. 

And Peter bought two little cherry 
pies, and Ellen bought one, and then 
they got into the little cart and started 
for home. 

And those little cherry pies were juicy 
and sweet and good, but when they were 
all gone little Ellen began to cry again, 
“ Oh, I wish I hadn’t been naughty and 
run away and disobeyed my Mamma!” 

And Peter said, “ I love my Papa, and 
he will feel so bad when he knows how 
naughty I’ve been!” 

“5 


PETER AND ELLEN 


And Ellen said, “ But those cherry 
pies were nice, and I like little wee cherry 
pies.” 

And Peter said, “ I’d rather be good, 
and please my Mamma and Papa, than 
have all the cherry pies in the world ! ” 

And Ellen cried very loud, and said, 
“ I’m afraid my Mamma will whip me 
because I ran away.” 

And Peter said, “ I’m afraid my Papa 
will whip me.” 

And very soon they drove into the 
yard, and there was . their own beautiful 
home. 

And there was Papa, dear Papa, with a 
very sad face, waiting for them. 

And Papa helped Peter and Ellen out 
of their little cart, and then he said, “ Peter 
and Ellen, go right up-stairs to your rooms, 
and do not come down till I tell you to.” 

1 1 6 


RUNAWAY PETER AND ELLEN 


And Ellen cried, “ Oh, Papa, I’m sorry 
I ran away, but I wanted a wee little 
cherry pie so much ! ” 

And Papa said, “ Go right up-stairs to 
your rooms and go to bed, and don’t 
get up till I tell you to!” 

And Peter said, “ Why, Papa, it is 
only morning, and the sun is shining — 
must we go to bed right now?” 

And Papa said, “Yes, Peter and Ellen, 
you must go to bed right now!” 

And Peter and Ellen went up-stairs to 
their own little rooms and undressed and 
went to bed. 

And the sun was shining and it was 
morning. 

And little Ellen hid her face in her pil- 
low, and cried, and cried, and cried, be- 
cause she had been so naughty. 

And little Peter lay in his bed and 


PETER AND ELLEN 


thought how naughty he had been, and 
felt very sorry. 

And one hour passed, and two hours 
passed, and Mamma did not come up- 
stairs, and Papa did not come up-stairs. 
Poor little Ellen went to sleep, but Peter 
lay wide awake and felt very sad indeed. 

And all at once he heard a voice say, 
“ Peter, Peter ! tut, tut, tut !” 

And Peter looked, and there was Polly 
Parrot sitting on the window-sill in the sun. 

And Peter said, “ Why, Polly Parrot, 
how did you get into my room?” 

And Polly said, “Oh, Mary — Miss 
Mary.” Mary was the servant. 

And just then little Ellen woke up and 
sat up in bed, quick, and said, “ Who 
pulled my little nose ?” 

And there on the bed beside Ellen was 
her funny little monkey. 

1 1 8 


RUNAWAY PETER AND ELLEN 


And Ellen called, “ Oh, Peter, my 
funny little monkey is in my room, and 
he pulled my nose !” 

And Peter said, “ I guess Mary let them 
come in so we wouldn’t be lonely.” 

And just then Mamma opened the 
door and came into little Ellen’s room, 
and said, “ Will my darling Ellen promise 
me never to run away again ?” 

And little Ellen hugged her mother, 
and said, “ Yes, I’ll promise, dear Mamma. 
I was the naughtiest .one, because I coaxed 
little Peter to go.” 

And Peter called from his room, “ I 
wanted to go. I was naughty, too, dear 
Mamma.” 

And Mamma said, “ I forgive you both, 
and so does Papa. You may get up now 
and dress; dinner is ready. We are going 
to have peaches and cream for dinner.” 

119 


THE SURPRISE- PARTY 


4ND one afternoon Grandpa came 
over to see Peter and Ellen. He 
came on his big white horse — 

trot, trot. 

And Peter and Ellen were swinging 
under the apple-trees in the garden. Peter 
had a swing on the limb of one apple- 
tree, and Ellen had a swing on the limb 
of another apple-tree. 

And Grandpa fastened his big white 
horse by the gate and came into the gar- 
den, and said, “ Hurrah ! Peter and El- 
len, put on your little hats and go home 
with me, and see what you find at my 
house.” 


12.0 


THE SURPRISE-PARTY 


And Peter and Ellen went into the 
house and asked their Mamma if they 
could go home with Grandpa on his big 
white horse. 

And Mamma said, “ Oh, I can’t let 
my darlings go to-day!” 

And Grandpa said, “Yes, you can, 
too.” And Grandpa whispered something 
to Mamma. 

And Mamma clapped her hands and 
laughed, and said, “ Oh, you dear old 
Grandpa, how pleased Peter and Ellen 
will be !” 

And Peter wondered what Grandpa 
whispered to Mamma, and Ellen wondered, 
too, but they were too polite to ask. 

And Mamma said, “All right, you may 
go home with Grandpa, children, and I 
know you will have a splendid time.” 

And then Peter and Ellen went out 


I 21 


PETER AND ELLEN 


to the gate, and Grandpa put Ellen before 
him on the big white horse, and Peter sat 
behind him ; and away they started — trot, 
trot — for Grandpa’s house. 

And Ellen said, “ Grandpa, I wish I 
could take my dear Polly Parrot with 
me. Pm afraid she will be lonely with- 
out me.” 

And Grandpa said, “ Oh, dear, what a 
child she is for pets ! I suppose we will 
have to go back and get Miss Polly Parrot.” 

And Grandpa turned the big white 
horse around, and they went back — trot, 
trot — after Miss Polly Parrot. 

And when Polly was on the big white 
horse with Peter and Ellen and Grandpa, 
she looked around, and said, “ Fine day, 
fine day !” 

And little Ellen laughed, and said, 
“ Yes, it is a beautiful day, Polly.” 


in 


THE SURPRISE-PARTY 


And Grandpa laughed, and said, “ I am 
glad you brought that remarkable bird, 
little Ellen $ she will amuse all the children 
to-day.” 

And Peter said, “ What children will 
Polly amuse to-day, Grandpa ?” 

And Grandpa laughed, and said, “Well, 
I declare, I almost told the secret!” 

And Ellen said, Oh, Grandpa, tell us 
the secret ! What is the secret, Grand- 
pa ?” 

And Grandpa said, “ We will be at 
my home in a minute, and then you shall 
know the secret.” 

And very soon they came to a big yel- 
low house in a beautiful yard. 

And Grandpa said, “ Here we are, and 
now in a moment more you shall know 
the secret.” 

And Peter and Ellen went into the big 

I2 3 


PETER AND ELLEN 


yellow house with Grandpa, and there 
was dear Grandma smiling and waiting 
for them. 

And Polly Parrot said, “ How-de-do !” 

And Grandma laughed, and said, 
“ Why, how do you do, Miss Polly !” 

And then Grandma said, “ Peter and 
Ellen, there are six little children hid in 
this room ; if you can find them we will 
have a little surprise -party.” 

And little Ellen clapped her hands, 
and said, “ Oh, what fun, Grandma ! 
Now we know what the secret is !” 

And Peter and Ellen ran around the 
big, long room and began to look for the 
six little children. 

And all at once Ellen looked under a 
table, and cried, “ Oh ! oh ! oh ! Here are 
Arabella and Araminta under this table !” 

And Arabella and Araminta laughed 
124 



AND PETER AND ELLEN BEGAN TO LOOK FOR THE SIX LITTLE CHILDREN 












THE SURPRISE- PARTY 


and crept out from under the table, and 
said, “We were so glad to come to your 
party, Peter and Ellen.” 

And Polly Parrot laughed, and said, 
“ Ho ! ho ! Arabella ! Araminta !” 

And Peter looked under the lounge, 
and said, “ Oh ! oh ! oh ! Here are Rog- 
gie and Reggie !” 

And Roggie and Reggie laughed and 
crept out from under the lounge, and 
said, “We came to the party, too!” 

And Grandma dear said, “ Now, when 
you have found the little brother and 
sister who are never afraid, you will have 
found all the party.” 

And Ellen and Peter looked and looked 
and looked, and at last they thought to 
look in a closet, and there — yes, there 
stood the wonderful Jane and John, who 
were never afraid. 

I2 5 


PETER AND ELLEN 

And Peter said, “ Oh, Jane and John, 
I’m so glad you came to our party ! ” 

And little Ellen danced about the room, 
and said, “It is a surprise -party, isn’t it, 
Grandma ?” 

And Grandma said, “ Yes, bless your 
dear little heart, it is.” 

And Grandpa said, “You are only go- 
ing to have one thing to eat at this party 
to-day, children, but when you have seen 
what it is you will be surprised.” 

And Grandma went out into the next 
room, and when she came back she had 
eight bright- colored boxes. 

And Grandma gave Arabella a red box, 
and she gave Araminta a blue box, and 
she gave Roggie a pink box, and she gave 
Reggie a yellow box, and she gave Jane 
a green box, and she gave John a laven- 
der - colored box, and she gave Peter a 
12.6 


THE SURPRISE-PARTY 


scarlet box, and she gave little Ellen a 
white box. 

And Grandma said, “ Dear children, I 
made the candy you will find in your 
boxes, and I know you will say that 
Grandma’s candy is as nice as it is 
funny.” 

And the children all opened their boxes, 
and, oh, how they laughed ! There were 
candy pigs, and candy ^heep, and candy 
birds, and candy ducks, and candy crows, 
and candy elephants, and candy apples, 
and candy peaches, and little candy men 
and women in those bright-colored boxes. 

And Grandpa laughed, and said, 
“ Well, children, what do you think of 
Grandma’s candy ?” 

And all the children clapped their 
hands, and said, “ Oh, it is splendid, 
splendid, Grandpa!” 

I2 7 


PETER AND ELLEN 


And Polly Parrot said, “ Polly want 
a cracker !” 

And little Ellen laughed and said, “You 
mean you want some candy, Polly.” 

And Grandpa gave Polly a candy pig, 
and Polly sat on the window-sill and ate 
her candy pig. 

And the children sat and talked and 
laughed, and ate candy birds, and candy 
peaches, and candy ducks, and all Grand- 
ma’s funny candy. 

And then they all played hide-and-seek 
again, and Grandpa and Grandma played, 
too. 

It was a splendid surprise -party — the 
very best party that Peter and Ellen ever 
had, even at Grandpa’s house 

And when it was time to go home. 
Grandpa said, “ Now, if you will all come 
out -doors, I will show you the funny 
128 


THE SURPRISE- PARTY 


way you are all going home from the 
party.” 

And they all went out-doors, and there 
was a big load of hay. And Grandpa 
took all the children home on the big 
load of hay. Peter and Ellen, Arabella 
and Araminta, Roggie and Reggie, and 
wonderful Jane and John all lived quite 
near together. So Grandpa put them all 
on the big load of hay, and away they 
went down the beautiful road home from 
the party. 


THE OAK-TREE PLAYHOUSE 



ND one morning Papa put on his 


hat, and said, “ Peter and Ellen, 


if you will follow me I will show 


you a sight worth seeing.” 

And precious Mamma jumped up from 
her sewing, and said, “Oh, I want to go, 
too ! I want to see a sight worth seeing!” 

And Papa laughed, and said, “Yes, do, 
Mamma ! Put on your hat and come, 
too, and I’ll show you a sight worth see- 
ing.” 

And Peter and Ellen and precious 
Mamma followed tall, funny Papa out 
through the garden and into the little 


130 


THE OAK-TREE PLAYHOUSE 


meadow, and Papa said, “ Follow me, 
follow me, you three, down this zigzag, 
zigzag path through the meadow.” 

They walked in line, Papa and Ellen 
and Peter and Mamma, down the little 
zigzag path across the meadow. And 
very soon they came to a little wood where 
the thorn -trees were all in blossom, and 
Papa said, “ Listen ! I think I hear a bell 
— ting-a-ling-ting !” 

And little Ellen said, “ I hear it, Papa, 
I hear a bell say ting- a- ling !” 

And Peter said, “ Oh, oh, here comes 
Baby Louise with a little silver bell on 
her neck !” 

And the little white pony came trotting 
up all alone through the woods, with a 
little silver bell on her neck, and Ellen 
said, “Why, Papa, who brought Baby 
Louise down to the woods?” 


PETER AND ELLEN 


And Papa said, “Ask the little white 
pony, and she will tell you.” 

And Baby Louise trotted near and 
bowed her head up and down, which 
meant, “ Oh, Ellen, I’m glad to see 
you.” 

And Ellen said, “ Who brought you 
down to the beautiful woods, little dar- 
ling ?” 

And Baby Louise turned and trotted 
away to the big oak-tree with the spread- 
ing limbs. 

And Peter said, “ Oh, there is Grand- 
pa sitting under the big oak-tree!” 

And little Ellen clapped her hands, and 
said, “ Why, Grandpa, what are you do- 
ing here in the beautiful woods?” 

And Grandpa laughed, and said, “I am 
the King of these beautiful woods, and I 
came down here to watch the thorn bios- 


THE OAK-TREE PLAYHOUSE 


soms blow and the violets grow, hi, oh ! 
hi, oh !” 

And Ellen clapped her hands, and said, 
“You dear, funny Grandpa, did you bring 
Baby Louise down to the wood to watch 
the thorn blossoms blow and the violets 
grow, hi,, oh?” 

And Grandpa said, “Yes, I brought 
the little white pony for the Prince and 
the Princess to ride when they come to 
live all day with the King of the beauti- 
ful woods.” 

And Peter said, “ Oh, Grandpa, am I 
the Prince, and is Ellen the Princess, and 
are we going to live all day with you in 
the beautiful woods?” 

And Grandpa said, “Yes, if you are 
the Prince and Princess who live in this 
big oak-tree, you are the ones I speak of.” 

And Peter and Ellen looked up into 
133 


PETER AND ELLEN 


the oak-tree. Oh, what a grand play- 
house they saw ! There were boards 
nailed all around on the wide -spreading 
limbs for a floor, and there was a dear 
little table and two chairs. 

And Ellen hugged Grandpa, and said, 
“ Oh, you dear, splendid. Grandpa, you 
made us this playhouse in the oak- 
tree !” 

And Grandpa laughed, and said, “ Yes, 
I’m a fine old fellow.” 

And precious Mamma clapped her 
hands, and said, “ Isn’t that a grand play- 
house ! I never had a playhouse up in a 
tree when I was a little girl.” 

And Papa said, “ Didn’t I tell you if 
you’d follow me I’d show you something 
worth seeing ? ” 

And Mamma said, “ Yes, indeed, you 
did, and this is a playhouse worth seeing!” 
T 34 


THE OAK-TREE PLAYHOUSE 


And Grandpa said, “You must stay all 
day and play in the woods, little mother.” 

And precious Mamma said, “ Oh, I 
should love to stay, but what will we do 
for our dinner?” 

And Grandpa said, “ This is the woods 
where the fairies live, and the fairies will 
bring our dinner.” 

And Peter whispered to Ellen, “ Grand- 
pa is only joking, there are no such things 
as fairies.” 

But, oh ! just then, out from a thicket 
of blossoms, two dear little fairies came 
dancing, and each carried a little basket. 
And the fairies wore funny, funny bonnets 
made of green leaves. You could not see 
their faces. 

And little Ellen whispered to Peter, 
“You said there were no fairies, and 
Grandpa was only joking!” 

*35 


PETER AND ELLEN 


And Peter whispered to Ellen, “ Well, 
I never saw a fairy before, and I never 
believed in fairies.” 

And little Ellen whispered, “You be- 
lieve there are fairies now, don’t you, 
Peter?” 

And Peter said, “Yes, I believe in 
them now ! ” 

And the two little fairies came dancing 
along, but you could not see their sweet 
little fatv". And the fairies gave one bas- 
ket to Peter and Ellen, and one to pre- 
cious Mamma; then away they danced 
through the woods. 

And Peter and Ellen climbed the 
big oak - tree, and sat down in their 
wonderful playhouse to eat their dinner. 
And Mamma and Papa and Grandpa 
sat down under the oak-tree to eat their 
dinner. 


136 



AND THEY SAT DOWN IN THE WONDERFUL PLAYHOUSE WITH PETER AND ELLEN 






THE OAK-TREE PLAYHOUSE 


And Ellen said, “ I wish those fairies 
would come again.” 

And Peter clapped his hands, and said, 
“ Oh, I’ve guessed who the fairies were, 
little Ellen!” 

And Ellen said, “ Oh, Peter, they were 
truly fairies ! * I know they were ! ” 

And Peter clapped his hands, and said, 
“No, I guess it was dear Arabella and 
Araminta dressed up to look like fairies.” 

And little Ellen was ready to cry. “ I 
hoped they were truly fairies,” she said. 
“ I have never seen a fairy !” 

And just then Arabella and Araminta 
came riding down through the woods on 
the white little pony ; and, oh, oh ! they 
did look like truly fairies ! 

Arabella had a wreath of violets on her 
dear, pretty head, and Araminta had a 
wreath of violets on her dear, pretty head. 
*37 


PETER AND ELLEN 


And Peter called, “ Come up into the 
big oak-tree and eat lunch with us, Ara- 
bella and Araminta.” 

And Grandpa helped Arabella and Ara- 
minta up into the big oak-tree, and they 
sat down in the wonderful playhouse with 
Peter and Ellen. 

And little Ellen said, “ My Grandpa 
does plan the most beautiful times and sur- 
prises for us, and this is the best of all.” 

And Peter said, “Yes, I think this is 
the very best surprise that Grandpa ever 
thought to give us.” 

And they stayed all day in the beauti- 
ful woods, and Arabella and Araminta 
stayed too, and played with Peter and 
Ellen in the oak-tree playhouse. 


THE END 



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